The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-08-11
The Democratic State Convention.

The Democratic State Convention.
THE FIRST STEP IN THE FALL CANVASS
THE SAME OLD PLATFORM ADOPTED
PRETTY MUCH BY THE SAME MEN.
From a party standpoint, the policy Of
calling State convention this year by the
Democratic committee, is as yet an un-
solved problem, but if mistake was made
in this respect, it was in a measure
atoned for by the selection of the place in
which the convention was held. Whether
or not political results of highly satisfac-
tory character will follow this iniatory
step of the campaign remains to be seen,
but certain it is that few, if any, of the
delegates or visitors. individuality, will
regret their sojourn, even if it were but
few hours. in the midst of the busiest,
most progressive town in Virginia. Not
only were the evidences of progress mani
fest On every side, but the handspring of
that progress, the spirit of the people,
was plainly to be discerned by those who
had eyes to see. Roanoke's reputation
was at stake, and Roanoke;s people deter
mined that the promises made in it's behalf
should be fulfilled. The town is pretty
evenly divided in sentiment, politically,
and this was political mblage, but
for all that Republican Wed with Demo-
GRAFT in putting the best foot foremost; in
providing ample entertainment for all who
came; in creating favorable and lasting
corporate gates. AS result, the city
received booming advertisement, and
every visitor was more than satisfied. To
be sure, there was some little crowding
and discomfort on the night before the
convention, when car after car, crowded
with delegates and lookers-On, pulled into
the depot, but this was only temporary,
and by next morning, there was ample
provision for all, and room to spare. And
herein lies the secret Of Roanoke's Won
derful growth and advancement. Its peo
pie pull together. Whenever movement
if definitely determined upon, chickering's
cease, and united effort is made to
achieve success. And success follows.
THE CONVENTION.
The Opera House at Roanoke has seat
ing capacity of six or eight hundred. 1t
is plain, we'll ventilated room, and on
Thursday last some effort had been made
at decoration. Small flags and bunting
relieved the mOnotony of the white walls,
and flowers were placed at various points
on the stage. AS the delegates filed in, the
Roanoke Machine Works Band" splen.
did organization, composed of sturdy me-
chanies, each one cultivated musician,
struck up "Dixie, and set the crowd to
shouting. Shortly after IL o'clock the
body was called to order. 1t was a fine
looking assembly, numbering five OF six
hundred and representing nearly every
section of the State. He who is at all fa-
miliar with Virginia politics could not
| fail to observe that all of the old stagers
were there. It would be safe to say that
a quorum of the legislature was present.
| The president of the Senate and the speaker
of the House might have organized their
respective bodies, clerks, subOrdinates, and
all. For the rest, the faces were, for the
most part. those of local politicians Of
convention of the party for years past,
whether county, district or State. There
was a notable absence of representatives of
the mechanical and agricultural classes.
To be sure the theoretical farmer was
prominent and ranked next III numbers to
his brethren of the law and medicine, but
| the man who works with his hands and
ploughs, and sows and reaps, would haye
found little companiOnship among those
who had gathered to gain his vote. Nor
would the mechanic have felt as if he were
in the house Of his fathers. The general
appearance of the convention was of de-
cidedly professional stamp, lawyers, doc
tors, theoretical farmers and the like con-
shutting by far the major part.
AT noon Hon. Jno. S. Barbour called the
invention to order. AS he advanced to
the front hearty welcome greeted him, to
which he bowed response. Mr.. Barbour
is not an orator, fact painfully apparent
| when he commenced the delivery Of his
address. In his hand he held the manu-
script, and waded through it with evident
labor. He commenced by discussing the
propriety of holding a convention, arguing
that if differences existed in the party, it
were better to settle them in convention,
! after a full, frank and fair discussion. In
the light of the subsequent proceedings of
the convention, this allusion to a free
discussion. sounds very much like irony.
1t would be far better, he said, to deter
mine these matters before than after the
would be no differences too radical TO be
| reconciled within the organization The
views Of the few must yield to the senti
ment Of the many, is an axiom of Democ'
racy. and the committee felt willing tC
meet the issues referred to. and to ascer'
tain in advance the sentiment OF the party
| He wanted to meet the party face to face
and see if it meant business-to see
''the light of battle'' in their eyes.
Referring to the Craftsmanship Of the
party, Mr.. Barbour declared that while
he had not the slightest desire, on any per
sonal account, to conduct another cam
paign for the party. still he was willing te
render any personal service which the
Democrats of Virginia may demand He
entered the political arena without desire
or solicitation on his part and could leave
without regret. Speaking Of the impend
ing campaign, he declared that he had ne
fear OF the opposition of the Republican
party: not the least Apprehension did hi
| feel from that source, for he felt confident
that the people Of Virginia would never
commit themselves to that party of Sec
| tional hate, whose chief mi ssion was to ma
| lign thepeople of heSoutf,. But there are
other organizations, secret or open, more
or less political in their nature. and having
| for their object the advancement of class
interests, meritorious, perhaps, in them
selves, but necessarily lii nited in their pub.
lie scope. There are but two great politi
| cal parties in this country-the Democratic
and Republican-and these new associa
tiOns, sooner or later, m ust train with ONT
OF the other of these. lie urged that theil
grievances could best be corrected NV tht